Places To Get Warm In Lorain County

LORAIN, OH — Northeast Ohio, including Lorain County, is under a wind chill advisory because temperatures have plummeted into the -20 degree range. That kind of cold can cause frostbite in less than 30 minutes of exposure.

Temperatures should start to rise by Sunday, with the National Weather Service forecasting a high of 30 degrees to close the weekend. Until then, some residents of the area will need to find shelter from the cold.

Several local agencies have stepped up to offer warming stations for residents. The Regional Transit Authority has opened five of its transit stations to the public during this cold spell and is giving free rides to those facilities. Each transit station will stay open 24 hours to keep people warm.

Additionally, several Lorain County-based organizations have opened their doors to anyone-in-need. Here are some local places residents can get warm:

• St. Andrews’s Episcopal Church, 300 3rd Street, Elyria
• First United Methodist Church, 312 3rd Street, Elyria
• First United Presbyterian Church, 200 East Avenue, Elyria
• Catholic Charities of Lorain, Saint Elizabeth Center, 2726 Caroline Avenue, Lorain
• Neighborhood Alliance-Haven Center, 1536 East 30th Street, Lorain (open 24 hours)
• Blessing House, 5440 Grove Avenue, Lorain (open 24 hours)
• Family Promise of Lorain County, 440 West Lorain Street, Oberlin
• Salvation Army – Oberlin 305 Artino Street, Oberlin (open 24 hours)

Here are the RTA's available warming centers, with the closest facility being in Fairview Park.

• Southgate Transit Center, 5491 Warrensville Center Rd., Maple Heights
• Westgate Transit Center, 21159 Center Ridge Rd., Fairview Park
• Parma Transit Center, 8750 Day Drive, Parma
• West 117 Station on the Red Line, 11631 Madison Ave., Cleveland
• Louis Stokes/Windermere Station on the Red Line, 14232 Euclid Ave., East Cleveland

(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan: File)